Lokahi
by knights13
Summary: Steve and Kono talk during a stakeout about why Steve wanted Danny to be his partner. Set very early season 1.


A/N: This is a repost, hopefully the code doesn't turn up again. I'm not sure why that happened but thank you to everyone who dropped me a note to let me know. Hope you enjoy!

Steve McGarrett was not accustomed to sitting still. Especially in a parked car across the street and a few houses back from the current suspect they were waiting to return home. He was much more accustomed to either analyzing the data or following through with it. This was something he was going to have to get used to.

Or, he grinned, it was something he'd pass off to his rookie once she was fully trained.

"Everything alright there, Boss?" Said rookie asked who happened to be sitting beside him in the car.

"Just thinkin'," he replied, then paused and asked, "How are you doing? Any questions or concerns or… you know, anything like that?"

When there was no reply from Kono, Steve turned his head giving her an open and curious look.

"Well," she started slowly, dragging out the word. "I do, but it's not really any of my business."

Steve raised an eyebrow, now all the more curious.

Kono blushed slightly and smiled, looking out the windshield, not meeting his gaze. "I mean it's 5-O related but…" She trailed off.

Turning slightly in his seat, Steve gave her more of his attention. "Okay. It's all right. Ask away. If I can answer, I will."

"Well," she said again, starting off slowly, building her confidence. "I was just wondering why you chose the team you did."

Steve tilted his head, confused. "You don't like the team I choose? Or you're not sure of why you're on it?" He doubted it was the latter as she'd earned her place on the team before she'd even graduated from the academy.

"Oh no, it's not that." She said quickly with a shake of her head and then paused again, clearly not sure if she should continue.

Steve liked his rookie. Clearly she respected him and didn't want to call his judgment into question, but at the same time wanted answers to the things she didn't fully understand. Her lack of confidence in asking now wouldn't last for long and he could see the outstanding officer she would become. "Okay then," he asked patiently and still curious with a quick look at the house and around the street. Still no suspect. "Then what is it?"

"Don't get me wrong," she started again coming from a different angle. "I really like Danny, but I don't get why you wanted him for your partner."

The question surprised Steve, Danny was an outstanding cop and he felt lucky to have him on his team. Not sure where her uncertainty was coming from, after a moment he replied, "Why's that?"

"Well, it's just that you two are always arguing."

"We don't argue," Steve said with a frown.

Kono laughed. "If that's not arguing I don't know what is."

"We just have a different perspective on things is all."

"Boss," she said with an adequate amount of disbelief in her tone. "You guys argued about the best way to make coffee this morning."

"Well the way a man likes his coffee is a very personal thing, Kono." Steve curled his nose remembering how Danny liked to add salt to the grinds. "And the way Danny makes it… Well, lets just say there's room for improvement."

"Is that why you asked for him to be your partner? To help him improve?"

Steve could hear the confusion in Kono's voice and he had to laugh. "No. I have to admit, that never even crossed my mind." He shook his head. "And you'd be wise never to let Danny hear you think he needs improvement."

Kono sputtered. "No… That's not…"

Steve laughed again. "It's okay. I know. No, the reason I asked for Danny to be my partner is because he's a damn fine cop and he's got no issue with telling me how it is or what he doesn't like." He paused. "Don't you dare tell him I said that!"

"I won't, I promise." Kono said with a smile. She was quiet in contemplation for a couple of minutes before she looked at him again. He waited, watching the street for the still missing suspect, for her to continue. "But I still don't get it. Surely there were other officers that would have been a… Well… More of a personality match?"

It was Steve's turn to contemplate his answer, but he didn't need long to voice his instincts into words. "Well, I liked that Danny was new to the island. I had just finished listening to my Dad's recording saying that he didn't trust those he worked with. Tells me there's some corruption on the force. With Danny being new here there's a good chance that he wasn't yet involved in that corruption. And, the more I got to know him the more I knew he wasn't only clean but also a good cop. He'd done some excellent police work into my father's case. Not to mention that he'd moved to Hawaii to be close to his little girl. Outside of his time with her, his job would be his top priority, what he lived for."

"There's no doubt about it," Kono agreed, "Danny is one of the best."

"Yeah, that he is." There was more to it though if Steve was being honest. Quiet a moment he debated on whether or not he should share the rest with his rookie. It only took a moment however before he decided he wanted an open team. No secrets and for that he'd need to lead by example.

Steve shrugged. "The thing is, I'm not a cop, I'm military and while we're both peacekeepers some of the rules aren't quite the same and I'm used to a completely different way of doing things. Danny… Well Danny has no problem telling me when I'm stepping over the line. Not that I'll necessarily listen but I need a partner who's not afraid to disagree with me or tell me what they think. I don't have to worry about that with Danny. I always know what he's thinking… we all do." Steve chuckled. "That has a large part to why I wanted him for my partner."

"Ah, I get it now! He's your lokahi. Although I still don't see why you guys have to argue all the time."

Just as Steve was about to say that what they did really wasn't arguing, their suspect made an appearance. Kono spotted him at the same time and without a word they exited the vehicle and moved into action.

**Words:** 1,080

"Lokahi is a Hawaiian word. It means harmony and balance. It's not as simple as 'Yin-Yang'. There might be many people or things that come together in a lokahi. Some might actually conflict." - www. lokahi . org. uk/about/meaning


End file.
